The Digital Fix: Television

Game of Thrones 6.08 - No One

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In every season of Game of Thrones , as in life, characters live or die by the decisions they make. This week's episode entitled No One clearly implies a certain characters storyline is coming to fruition and plot points are being resolved or embellished at an alarming rate. After last weeks shock ending who survives and who lives is anybody's guess.

We open this weeks episode yet again in the theatrical stage show of Game of Thrones . Its a curious plot thread and I understand why they are doing it, with the connection to Arya's storyline but why does it have to be theatrics of scenes we as viewers have already seen, why cant it be a made up play, I don't understand why it has to be a re-enactment of scenes seen before. In the minimal episodes we get per season, it feels like a waste.

Game of Thrones is renowned for its high production values and well thought out direction but this episode has some curious played out scenes. With The Waif killing Lady Crane backstage, in the disguise of a man, against a chair leg, Arya dives out of a window, reopening her wounds. The Waif follows and here is where it gets weird. The camera direction and the way actress Faye Marsey runs is peculiar at best. Remember the famous scene in Terminator 2: Judgement Day when the T1000 is chasing Arnie on the streets at night. Remember the way Robert Patrick runs? Cold, calculating, robotic, that's exactly the way The Waif runs here. Its peculiar and distracting at best. The scene ends on a cliff hanger though with Arya revealing her sword and cutting out the light.

Game of Thrones isn't, and shouldn't, be a focus on one character too much. All viewers have their own favourites, and rightfully so, good or bad, but none at least, feel like they are taken precedent over another, everybody has their scenes play out in a fair and appropriate manor. No One shows this in good measure leaving out popular characters, Daenerys is relegated almost to a cameo here, or some are left out altogether, for example, the new 'Joffrey', Ramsey Bolton. This doesn't hurt the episode to any great degree but it shows that the show has a wealth of favourite or interesting characters to pick from at any given time.

We find the most current 'anti-hero' of the series (and my personal favourite character currently) The Hound on the hunt for the band of soldiers who slaughtered the villagers in last weeks episode, specifically Lem Lemoncloak. As he is want to do, it doesn't take him long to hunt them down, casually walking into a comical scene to behead, rip throats out and unleash all types of bad ass on to snivelling characters who you love to hate. Its hard to not revel in The Hounds vicious blood letting. He is an anti-hero to the core, and one who stands for his position strongly.

In Meereen, Tyrion and Varys part ways on good terms as Varys departs on a secret mission for Daenerys. When characters split up in Game of Thrones you never know when they are going to meet up and reconnect again. Characters could be apart for years in real life ala Jon Snow and Lady Sansa, so it will be sad to see these characters split up and not see each other for awhile. So this parting of the way is heart wrenching and emotional to see, as they go their separate ways. Tyrion continues on playing out a comical scene with his advisors Greyworm and Missandei on the subject of humour and its different styles.

Elsewhere in Westeros we find the Faith Militant yet again trying to stick their nose into the politics of King's Landing. As in modern times there is a fine line between religion and diplomacy and these two factions are leading to an explosive climax. Everybody's favourite zombie guard Ser Gregor Clegane gets in the way of the violence this week, taking a well placed but futile axe to the chest. When the war is coming, and it is, he would be a good ally to have, Cersei using him to provide protection and intimidation. I wouldn't fancy having my face ripped off by him though, as he does to one poor Militant this week.

The last notable confrontation this week is at Riverrun between Brienne of Tarth and Jaimie Lannister. The air is thick with tension, and sexual tension at that. Brienne tries to return Jaimie's sword Oathbreaker but is turned away. With Jaimie's sexual preference hidden as subtext the scene is well staged and well written as the noose is tightened ever further in this futile game.

Another compelling episode this week, with scenes and plot points playing out well. Direction wise there are some notably debateable moments of choice, but the rest of the episode being of high quality this can be looked over. If you watch the previews for next weeks episode as well, get excited, get very VERY excited.....

More on Game of Thrones

Based on the bestselling novel series A Song of Ice And Fire by George R Martin, HBO's Game of Thrones has revolutionised the fantasy genre for mainstream television. Now in its penultimate, seventh breathtaking series the show will bow out with a spectacular six-part finale in 2018...

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